50+ Tips for Your First 50 Miler

Savvy advice on succeeding at the 50-mile race distance

Who better to crowd-source ultrarunning tips from than the Trail Runner community? When we asked our Facebook and Twitter followers to share advice for first-time 50-milers, we were inundated with fabulous ideas!

We thank you all for sharing your tips. Here, we’ve compiled a selection of them into eight key categories:

***Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Giveaway!Want to run this year’s Leadville Silver Rush 50-Mile Run on July 14? Comment on this article by Sunday, May 19 to be entered in a random drawing to win free entry into the race! ($125 value—see http://www.leadvilleraceseries.com for race details.) Please fill in the email address field (it will not be displayed publicly) so we can contact you if you are selected.

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General Tips

Eat before you’re hungry and walk before you’re tired. –Len Thompson

You can do anything for half a day. If it hurts to walk and [and it also hurts to] run, run. –Martha Schoppe

Be patient. Be patient. Be patient. It's fun when over 1/2 the people leave you at the start then slowly you pick them off. I like around 200 calories per hour. And have fun. Don't overthink things. Enjoy your time in the woods. –Lanier Greenhaw

Tell everybody you know so you can’t back out. Then anytime you question why you run, just put more sugar in. Oh, and lubricate your feet and your delicates. A LOT. –Lee Shane

Relax and have fun. Always better to have some friends to run your first one with. –Alan Bauler

Run when you can. Walk when you have to. You can always do another 10 miles. What goes in, comes out. You can do it. 90-percent mind. –Joann Oliver Lynch

Trust in your training and enjoy the view. –The Range of Motion @RangeOfMotion1

Wear sunscreen. Prepare to run on quads that feel like they have separated from your femur (they haven't). Eat whatever looks good whenever you are hungry but keep those nasty gels in the tank with some regularity. Drink when thirsty. Smile! –Jason Walsh

Before you focus on super long runs (>20-25 miles), perfect your stride as best you can. No point in logging (or slogging!) tons of heavy miles with crappy mechanics. You'll only be prolonging recovery, beating yourself up more than you should, greater risk of injury, and practicing/further teaching your body inefficiency. Speed work also enhances stride efficiency. Before you "run long," run right! Focus on leg turnover: 180-188 "revolutions per minute." Being light on your feet is gonna lessen the chance of pounding your legs harder than they have to, thus, decreasing the risk of injury and being able to efficiently "flow" over varying terrain. And, when you’re tired in the later stages of an ultra, a higher cadence is going to help you "slow down less" (which is what we all want, right?) – Jacob Rydman

Do general strength and core work in your training. –Alex Beecher @Baristing

Don't freak out, don't neglect speed work, specificity and strength and conditioning. Warming up, cooling down and stretching are indispensable, do it every day! If your ultra is flat, do two hill sessions a week, if your ultra is hilly, do two flat sessions a week. –Levente Dorogi

Learn Chi Running! –Damian Stoy

Training—Mileage

One month before your first 50, complete a 50K healthy. Recover, resume training with no runs longer than 20 miles, and you will be fine. On race day, concern yourself only with finishing. Don't worry about who's ahead of you, who's behind you, or any of that other bullshit. JUST FINISH. Have fun, respect the course and the distance, and just finish. At your next 50 miler you will smoke it. –Gene Gatens

It’s OK to walk or hike, just do it with a purpose. –Eric Lee @MtnRunner_ELee

Hold back till past the halfway point. You'll still have lots of miles to cover. Be sure to fuel and hydrate in the days before the race, not just on race day, get plenty of rest. Enjoy! – Tricia McLendon Lieberman

Slow down, then slow down again. Eat early and eat often! –Chris Swenke

I just ran my first 50-mile and the best advice I got was the pace myself the first half so that it felt slow. Walk or hike the climbs to save energy. If you have legs left, you can push harder in the second half. – Shelby Berg

Just keep going until the finish. I felt tired after 25 miles, but kept going, and I really never got to feel more tired then I already felt. I just reached a steady state and kept running in it. Good luck! –Marjolein Baas

Be patient and the finish line will come to you... And left right left right … —Ryan Hopkins

Be prepared for the emotional roller coaster, but remember that you CAN do it!! –Mellisa Davis Warden

I did my first 50M a few weeks ago, and kept telling myself "As bad as you feel, understand that you're going to feel worse, but you're also going to feel better." It kept me going through the "bad patches." –Jeff Mannion

I locked myself out of my car 15 minutes before my first 50M; no wallet, phone, hydration, fuel, change of clothes, sunscreen, etc. I was problem solving throughout the race (coat hanger, locksmith, slim jim, etc.)—never getting into the BMW until the next day. Realize you really don't need everything you think and just be mentally prepared for anything. Finished strong, running the entire trail race in a little over 10 hrs. –Gerry Smerka Jr.

Fueling

Really dial in your nutrition plan—it's probably just as important, if not more, as the training itself. –Brett Zugnoni

Eat the most in the beginning while your stomach can handle the food. Go for salty foods @ mile 10... sweet foods in the beginning. –Heather Poast Live Barefoot

Eat, even when you're not hungry, keep eating gels. – George Katsikaris Jr.

Puree food to get it broken down and it is awesome. –Dustin Young

I consumed nothing but gels every 25 mins or so and drank 8-10 oz of water every hr or so along with a salt capsule every hour. I also took 2 Advil at mile 31 and washed them down with a half can of Red Bull. I also drank coke and ginger ale at the aid stations but ate nothing but the gels! –Troy Brady

Don't eat too much too fast. So practice eating. –Travis Cowan

Post-Race/Recovery

Always do an ice bath for 10 minutes afterwards w/ a glass of wine or a beer do a little yoga before and after the race. –Heather Poast Live Barefoot

... And Most Importantly, Don’t Lose Your Sense of Humor

Bring whiskey. –Matt Smogor

Poop before the start. The rest is easy. –Davide Ferrara

Be very nice to your spouse. You're going to need the brownie points! –Anthony Tieuli